Removable necktie



REMOVABLE NECKT I E Filed Nov. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTORFrederick H. Ends BY W i Q" ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1967 F. H. EADS 3,335,427

' REMOVABLE NECKTIE Filed Nov. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTORFrederick H. Ends ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,335,427 REMOVABLENECKTIE Frederick H. Eads, 1310 S. 6th St, Louisville, Ky. 40208 FiledNov. 10, 1965, Ser. N0. 507,135 12 Claims. (Cl. 2-155) This inventionrelates generally to neckties, and more particularly it relates to theconstruction of an improved removable necktie and the method of formingthe same.

Most mens neckties today are conventionally formed as elongated stripsof material which are designed to be positioned around a wearers neckand to then be manually tied into a knot. Neckties of this type aregenerally known as four-in-hand ties, and these ties are almostuniversally used and accepted. There are, however, certain drawbacks tothese conventional neckties, the principal one being that the tie must,in most instances be unknotted to permit removal, and must then again bereknotted when the tie is worn again. Naturally, this procedure ofretying a necktie knot each time the necktie is to be Worn is atime-consuming procedure which generally must be carried before amirror. It therefore would appear to be highly desirable and beneficialto provide a necktie which could be removed and which could again bere-applied without untying the knot therein.

There have, of course, been many forms of removable neckties suggestedin the past, but none of these neckties have been without deficiencies.For exmaple, many of the prior ties have used hooks, snaps, or otherfastening means to hold the same about a wearers neck and consequently,it was almost as cumbersome and difiicult to apply these ties as it wasto apply a normal four-in-hand necktie. Other prior art proposals havesuggested the use of adjustable elastic bands, but these bands, in use,tend to wrinkle the wearers collar and cause the same to have a puckeredeffect. Similarly, other proposals have involved the use of hooks orclips on the inside of the shirt collar which could be used to attach anecktie, but since most shirts are not manufactured in this manner,these proposals have not met with much success.

Aside from the foregoing considerations, most other prior art forms ofremovable or easily appliable neckties have utilized machine-formedknots. Such knots generally have an artificial appearance which manyconsumers find objectionable, since most men prefer a hand tied knot.Accordingly, this is just another reason why such prior art forms ofremovable neckties failed to meet with much commercial success.

With the foregoing matter in mind, it is therefore, an object of thepresent invention to overcome the difficulties and deficiencies of priorart forms of removable neckties and to provide in their stead, animproved removable necktie construction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and meansfor producing a removable necktie having a hand-tied knot, which necktiecan be quickly and easily applied to and removed from a wearers neck.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a necktie whichcan be removed without untying the same, thereby eliminating the wearand wrinkling which occurs during repeated tying and untying ofconventional neckties.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a removablenecktie which gives the appearance of being a conventional hand-tiedfour-in-hand necktie, but which, in actuality, is an easily removablenecktie which can be removed merely by application of manual pressureand which need never be unknotted or reknotted.

Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description, which,taken in connection with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a conventionalfour-in-hand necktie being formed into a knot;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the neck encirclingloop of the necktie in severed position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of the necktie as the same isin the process of being formed into a removable necktie in accordancewith the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the completed removablenecktie:

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of an end portion of the neckencircling band of the necktie;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating an additionalmodification of the removable necktie;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially alongs lines 77 ofFIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of a user about to apply theremovable necktie of the present invention about his neck; and

FIGURE 9 is a rear elevational view show-ing, in phantom, the manner inwhich the removable necktie of the present invention is applied to awearers neck.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIGURE 1 thereof, thereis illustrated a conventional four-in-hand necktie, which is generallydesignated 10. As shown, such neckties is in the process of being tiedinto a four-in-hand knot which is generally designated 12. When thenecktie 10 is being knotted in such a manner, it forms a closedcontinuous loop 14 which is adapted to encircle a wearers neck. As theknot 12 is being formed by manipulating one tail of the tie with respectto the other, in the conventional manner of forming a fourin-hand knot,a portion of one of the tails forms the top of the knot, and suchportion is designated 16.

In the process of forming the removable necktie of the presentinvention, the knot 12 can be completely tightened or can be left in theloosened condition shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Then, as the next step inthe process, after the knot is formed, the closed loop 14 is severedsubstantially opposite the knot 12 in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. Suchsevering can take the form of merely slitting the loop in half, or itcan involve the actual removal of a portion of the loop, at the backthereof opposite the knot 12. In either event, the closedloop 14 isconverted, by such severing, into a pair of loop portions 14a and 14bwhich extend oppositely from the knot 12. The terminal end of each ofthese loop portions is designated 18.

An elongated resilient and flexible band, formed of spring steel,plastic, or other suitable materials, is

provided, such band being generally designated 20, as shown in FIGURE 3.The band 20 is pre-formed into an arcuate configuaration adapted to atleast partially encircle a wearers neck when the necktie is appliedthereto. Thus, in its initial formation, the band 20 has a fiat body 22formed in a generally teardrop shape with the terminal ends 24 of theband meeting at the apex of the teardrop.

The resilient band 20 is initially attached to the necktie by insertingone end 24 thereof through the knot beneath the top portion 16 thereof.Then, the band is pushed through until the ends 24 thereof are disposedsubstantially oppositely to the knot 12.

As will be seen, when the band 20 has been positioned and partiallyattached in the manner shown in FIGURE 3, the body 22 thereof isjuxtaposed to the interior of each of the loop portions 14a and 14b, butthe length of these loop portions is such that when each portion isdisposed contiguously to the band, the terminal end 18 of such loopportion extends beyond the terminal end 24 of the band. Thus, thisextending portion, which can be designated 30, can be folded over theend 24 of the band in the manner shown most clearly in FIGURE 5.Stitching 32 can be utilized to maintain this portion 30 in its foldedover position, and additionally, if desired, adhesive 34 can be used tohold the portion 30 in contact with the end of the band 20. When bothextending portions 30 have been folded over and attached in such manner,the conventional necktie of FIGURE 1 has been converted into acompletely removable necktie as shown in FIGURE 4- and as generallydesignated 40, therein.

While the removable necktie 40 is perfectly suited for use in the mannershown in FIGURE 4, it might sometimes be desirable to enhance theconstruction thereof by providing a frictional engaging means on theinterior thereof to assure a good frictional engagement between thenecktie and the wearers neck. To this end, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7,a frictional engaging means generally designated 42, may be utilized incontiguous contact with the inner surface 22 of the band 20. Suchfrictional engaging means 42 can be, for example, a cloth strip 44having a pattern or array of raised rubber threads 46 thereon formingprotuberances. These protuberances 46 extend inwardly, as shown, andthus engage in contact with that portion of the wearers shir-t aroundhis neck. Frictional engaging means 42 can be attached by means ofstitching the same to the loop portion 14a by stitches such as thoseshown in FIGURE 7 at 48. Alternatively, the cloth strip portion 44 maybe adhesively attached to the surface 22 of the band. In addition to thefrictional engaging characteristics of the means 42, such means servesthe additional function of completely enclosing the band 44 and hidingthe same from view. This, of course, provides for a more attractiveunit.

The foregoing description sets forth in detail the process by which theremovable necktie 40 of the present invention is formed. To use suchnecktie, and to apply the same, a wearer grasps a loop portion with eachhand and spreads the same apart in the manner shown in FIG- URE 8. Then,he merely inserts each of these loop portions beneath the collar 50 ofhis shirt, and adjusts the position of the knot 12 until the sameproperly is disposed in the opening at the front of the collar. In suchposition, each loop portion is disposed. beneath the wearers collar 50,and in frictional engagement with that portion of the shirt surroundingthe wearers neck, as shown in FIGURE 9. When the necktie 40 is thusapplied in such a manner, the outward appearance of the necktiesimulates exactly the appearance of a conventional necktie. However, toremove the necktie 40, the wearer need only apply downward manualpressure on the depending tails of the tie. Such downward pressure pullsthe knot downward and serves to bring the two loop portions out ofengagement with the wearers neck. It is even possible to lower thenecktie a few inches, when the wearer desires to unbutton his collar,and the loop portions thereof will still remain in engagement with theneck, thus holding the tie in position, because of the resilient natureof the band 20.

Naturally, once the necktie is removed, the same can be re-applied inthe same manner as set forth hereinabove. It is thus apparent that thepresent invention provides a necktie which can be easily and quicklyattached, easily and quickly removed, and which once formed, need neverbe unknotted or reknotted.

After reading the foregoing detailed description, it should be apparentthat the objects set forth at the outset of the specification have beensuccessfully achieved by the present invention. Accordingly, what isclaimed is 1. A method of producing a removable necktie comprising thesteps of:

hand-tying a four-in-hand necktie to create a closed loop adapted toencircle a wearers neck and a knot at the front of said loop;

severing said closed loop at the rear thereof, substantially oppositesaid knot, to create a pair of loop portions extending from oppositesides of said knot;

providing an elongated resilient band;

inserting said band through said knot so that the ends of said band aredisposed on opposite sides thereof; and

attaching said loop portions contiguously to said band.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said attaching step includesfolding the end of each loop portion over the end of each correspondingband portion and securing the same in such position.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein such securing includes thestep of stitching said loop portion.

4. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein such securing includes thestep of adhesively attaching at least a part of said loop portion tosaid band.

5. A removable four-in-hand necktie comprising:

an elongated neck piece tied in four-in-hand fashion to thereby producea knot having a pair of elongated tails depending therefrom and a loopmeans adapted to encircle a wearers neck;

said loop means including two separate loop portions extending fromopposite sides of said knot and terminating in rear ends;

a continuous flat resilient band having the central portion thereofpassing through said knot and having end portions extending rea-rwardlytherefrom and biased toward one another; and,

means attaching said loop portions contiguously to said band;

said band ends being manually separable to thereby permit said necktieto be attached about a wearers neck with such knot at the front thereofand said loop portions extending about opposite sides thereof;

said resilient band serving to keep said loop portions disposedcontiguously along opposite sides of said wearers neck;

said necktie being manually removable merely by application of manualpulling force upon said elongated tails whereupon said loop portions andsaid knot move away from said wearers neck.

6. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 5 wherein saidmeans for attaching said loop portions to said band comprises ends ofsaid loop portions being folded over the ends of said band and securedin that position.

7. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 6 wherein saidloop portion ends are secured in folded over position by adhesive means.

-8. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 6 wherein saidloop portion ends are secured in folded over position by stitching thesame in such position.

9. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in claim 5 furtherincluding frictional engaging means juxtaposed to said band on the sideopposite said loop References Cited Portions. UNITED STATES PATENTS 10.A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in 692146 1/1902 Kiene Xclaim 9 wherein said frictional engaging means includes 963360 7/1910Davies 2 155 an arranged series of raised rubber protuberances. 5 i2002:,825 5/1935 v 11. A removable four-in-hand necktie as defined in10/1938 Kahn 2 155 claim 5 wherein said band is fabricated of springsteel. 7 5 7 959 Armstrong 5 12. A removable four-in-hand necktie asdefined in claim 5 wherein said band is fabricated of plastic. PATRICKD. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF PRODUCING A REMOVABLE NECKTIE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF:HAND-TYPING A FOUR-IN-HAND NECKTIE TO CREATE A CLOSED LOOP ADAPTED TOENCIRCLE A WEARER''S NECK AND A KNOT AT THE FRONT OF SAID LOOP; SEVERINGSAID CLOSED LOOP AT THE REAR THEREOF, SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE SAID KNOT,TO CREATE A PAIR OF LOOP PORTIONS EXTENDING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAIDKNOT; PROVIDING AN ELONGATED RESILIENT BAND; INSERTING SAID BAND THROUGHSAID KNOT SO THAT THE ENDS OF SAID BAND ARE DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDESTHEREOF; AND ATTACHING SAID LOOP PORTIONS CONTIGUOUSLY TO SAID BAND.